The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-28
DECORATING The GRAVES
OF THE Departed HEROES OF
THE LOST CAUSE
At Jackson and Fort Gibson, Miss.
Where Senator Walthall
Makes an Address.

bl6 German cal u comment gu play lH y
in front Of the capital, which by prt ar
rsngement, was the signal for the as
Eembling OF the multitude. All stores
and other places of business were
closed. The military, the various
schools aud citizsns generally loon
collected at the capitol fquare. At
2:30 o'clock the procession was fol-
lowed by Gen. Will Henry and Gan.
6. Y. Freeman, marshals OF the day,
with the German band in front fol-
lowed by the Capital Light Gusrde,
the schools, the children carrying
flowers, large number Of citiz ,ns on
foot and lorg line OF carriages con-
tanning the Governor and State officers
and private citizens. They marched
down Capital street to West street,
thence direct to the cemetery. The
large plat within the cemetery inclos.
ure which contains the eacred remains
OF most Of the Confederate dead buried
here, had been carefully cleared off and
upon grass caIpeied mound in a
prominent place of said plat bad been
erCc ed q miniature monument with a
base ten feet square, with several
graduated steps and shaft twelve feet
high, which waJ covered with native
moss aud eLtwined with wreaths of
flowers. On arriving there the chill
dren and citizens placed their flowers
on the steps of The monument, while
the band played the beautiful air of
Sweet Bye and Bye" Then followed
an earnest ard specially appropriate
prayer by the Rev. DIR. q. G. Andrews.
Maj. Lsnar Fontaine, the orator OF the
day, was then introduced by Gen.
Henry, the chief marshal, who in a
speech OF some twenty minutes por-
trsyed in glowing terms the valorous
deeds OF the heroes Of the "Lost
Cause" and paid a f ting tribute to
the memories of The hsllowed dead,
both to those who were he blue and
the gray. He commended as prorer
and appropriate the custom to strew
their graves with flwers, and earn
estly invited the sons aud Cau9hters
of Mississippi to erect an enduring
monument TO commemorate Miesis-
Hippi's Confederate dead. After q
short prayer bO the Rev. H. F. Spoles
the CAPT al Light Guards formed in
front of the nina ure monument and
fred three rounds.
Separate salutes we're then fred over
the G ayes of Gems. VIM. BarksGale
and Richard Griffith and Ools. Robert
Smith, James Barr end L. r Burt, all
of whom we're killed in attic; also
the grave OF K. G. Lindsey, OF the
Crescent Rifles, who was killed in
New 0,lesns in the fight between the
cit zens and the police, and that Of
Willie Pierce, a deceased member of
the company, after which Capt. Green
carried his men through several com.
pany maneuvers about and around
the monument. The crowd, number
ing some 2000, then scattered through
the cemetery grounds, decorating the
known and marked graves of soldiers
outside Of this plat. The graves Of
Federal soldiers received like stten-
ton az those of the Confederatee.
All the ceremonies and arrangements
OF the day were conceived by the la
dies OF the Confederate Monument
Association Of Mississippi, and con-
Quoted to a successful termination
uDuer lneu huBDlCtd.
Decoration Day at Port Gibson, Miss
VIcKsBURa, MISS, April 27.-The
Commercial Herald says the weather
being lovely large crowd of ladies
and gentlemen left the city TO attend
the decoration of The graves OF the
COME derste soldiers in Port Gibson.
Senator E. G. Wslthall bad preceded
them the day before, and upon their
arrival he wss holding a reception in
the Bank Hotel. About 2:30 O'Clock
the people began to flock toward the
beautiful little cemetery. By 3 O'Clock
vast crowd OF la3ie9, gentlemen and
children were on the ground, where
the ladies he'd strewn the graves Of
heroes of the South. The graves had
been carefully trimmed and they
were most ta4tefully decorated with
flowers and evergreens of every vsri-
ETY.. The ladies' had made the sad
task labor of love, and roses, gersni-
um0, gladiolas, liliee, mock oranges,
pomegranates and peonies were
arranged in wreathes, crosses
and monuments, and placed
on the dead Of the dead psst in enc
less profusion. At 8 o'clock the pto-
cession from the CITY, led by the Port
Gibson band, arrived. The pre- C sssion
was formed Ct the Ola borne Light
Guards, Capt. E P. Brlscoe, and civic
bodies, among whom were Gen. E. 9.
Waltz all and invited guests. After
prayer and appropriate music at the
graves, the procession moved IL
stand ia a lovely grove o. cedar, where
the Hon. II. O. McMardn in q few
sentences of burning eloquencs intro
duced Gen. Wultball to the YES su-
dience. II ever an opropriste selec-
ton of an orator, to do full justice to
such an occasion, Yves msde, it was on
this occasion. The speaker used no
notes, but in shnlt while he 80
warmed with his eubj eot, that he en-
chained the attention OF his hearers.
He dwelt upon the sentiment
of years ago, until the spirit OF the
long ago filed his hearers. His
words Of patriotic fire will lingsr
many years in the mem, ries of those
who were fortunate enough to hear
him. To captains h. s Fulkerson and
F. H. Foote, are due great praise for
their management of the details OF the
day. The lad es, God bless them, can
never re ceive thanks enough for their
sad tributes to the soldier dead. On
the stand baca of Gen. Wslthall waved
a company banner of the Fairview Ri.
fles, all Ia tered and torn, in active
service over twenty yeas ago. 1t was
made by Miss Priscilla j. fries and
for her presented to the Falrview Ri
Aes by the Hon. II. I. Elicit iust
twenty-six years Ego. As it waved TO
and fro in the gentle bre g, one could
almost imagine he saw away do va the
dim vista Of the past, the gray sol-
'diery that shall contend no more